Thermal printers are used to print graphic images on substrates such as cards, webs, and other receptor materials. A typical thermal printer includes a thermal print head having a single column or row of dots. The dots are resistive elements that, when activated, heat a transfer ribbon and transfer thermally reactive inks or dyes from a carrier ribbon to a given substrate.
Current thermal print heads are prone to failure due to wear, particle contamination, and electrical degradation. The relatively short life-span of conventional thermal print heads means that print heads need to be replaced frequently. This is problematic because the design of conventional thermal printers makes it difficult to readily replace failed print heads. For example, to replace a failed print head, an end user is typically required to call a skilled technician to precisely align the new print head within the printer. The technician also typically replaces certain on-board electrical components of the thermal printer. Relying on a technician to replace failed print heads is expensive and time consuming.
Another obstacle to replacing failed print heads is that conventional thermal printers are each typically electronically and physically designed to operate with a single print head model. This presents problems if the particular model or type of print head needed by the end user is not available or if the end user is unhappy with the performance of his or her current print head. In such a situation, the end user can not readily substitute different models or brands of print heads within his or her printer. To provide such a substitution, the physical geometry and electronic configuration of the thermal printer must typically be radically changed to accommodate the new print head. There is a need in the art for thermal printers that address these problems and other problems.